From crop stress to recovery. Drone imagery reveals the field-level impact of Aphasol.
Anyone viewing the salsify field in Poelkapelle from above will notice it immediately.
Within the same plot, a clear contrast emerges: areas with a more uniform, vigorous crop stand side by side with zones where growth is visibly lagging behind.
The images were taken in autumn, following a growing season that was far from straightforward. Prolonged drought, combined with necessary crop treatments, placed the crop under considerable stress and demanded a great deal from the plant’s recovery capacity.
A practical choice, grounded in experience
Based on positive experiences in previous crops, the grower decided to apply Aphasol in his salsify crop as well, with the aim of supporting plant performance throughout the season. This decision was not driven by acute damage, but by the conviction that activating plant metabolism early on helps crops cope better with stress factors later in the season.
As summer progressed, the pressure on the field became increasingly apparent. Recovery was uneven, and crop vitality developed inconsistently across the plot. It is precisely under such conditions that the difference becomes visible between a crop that has been proactively supported and one that relies entirely on its own recovery capacity.
From mid-August onwards, Aphasol was included in the fungicide applications, with three treatments at a rate of 3 L/ha.
Part of the field treated with Aphasol
Part of the field not treated with Aphasol
What the drone images reveal – practical field observations
Drone imagery captured later in the season clearly illustrates the outcome of this approach. In the treated zones, the crop appears more uniform and vigorous, with greener foliage and more consistent leaf development.
In contrast, crop development in the untreated areas remains visibly behind.
These differences are not limited to what can be seen above ground. At harvest, the contrast is also evident below ground.
From field observation to substantiated effect: maize trials
What becomes visible from the air in salsify does not stand alone. The observed differences align closely with results from earlier plot and field trials in maize.
Maize plot trials – controlled conditions
In collaboration with Ghent University, controlled plot trials were conducted to assess the effect of Aphasol when maize is exposed to herbicide stress. A standard herbicide programme was applied, both with and without the addition of Aphasol.
This trial design made it possible to evaluate the effects of herbicides and the biostimulant separately, as well as in combination. The results show a clear and consistent pattern:
Herbicides can, particularly under less favourable growing conditions, cause a temporary growth inhibition.
When Aphasol is applied alongside the herbicides, this growth inhibition is significantly reduced. Plants treated with Aphasol show greater resilience and recover more effectively (see left-hand graph below).
Under conditions without herbicide application, Aphasol delivers a growth increase of +6% in maize.
When herbicides are applied and Aphasol is added, this effect increases to +15% (see right-hand graph below).
In other words, it is precisely when the crop is under pressure that the supporting effect becomes most pronounced.
Aphasol does not interfere with the mode of action of the herbicides; instead, it supports the plant’s own recovery mechanisms and stress tolerance.
Maize field trials – from vitality to yield
In addition to plot trials, multi-location field trials in maize were carried out across several seasons. These trials focused on crop vitality and yield parameters under practical farming conditions.
Here too, a consistent picture emerges.
Treated plots show higher crop vitality, reflected in improved leaf greenness and biomass accumulation.
This enhanced vitality translates into yield-related effects, including both higher total biomass and increased cob weight.
Across multiple seasons, the field trials confirm that the effect goes beyond visible crop differences and remains relevant at yield level:
Consistent yield increases in maize over successive seasons:
Average +10.7% silage yield
Average +9.2% cob weight
What this means in practice
Taken together, the drone imagery in salsify and the maize trial results tell a coherent story.
Biostimulants fit within a preventive crop management strategy. By stimulating plant metabolism, they enhance crop resilience.
Their added value becomes most evident when crops are exposed to stress factors or agronomic interventions.
Targeted support helps crops recover more rapidly and make better use of their growth potential.